Swab making apparatus



Aug. 2, 1966 H. c. GUSTAFSON SWAB MAKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 18, 1962 INVENTOR.

HARRY C. GUSTAFSON ATTORNEY 1966 H. c. GUSTAFSON SWAB MAKING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed June 18, 1962 INVENTOR.

FIGS f HARRY C. GUSTAFSON BY ATTORNEY 1966 H. c. GUSTAFSON 3,263,280

SWAB MAKING APPARATUS Omginal Filed June 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Q HARRY C. GUSTAFSON ATTORNEY 1966 H. c. GUSTAFSON 3,263,280

SWAB MAKING APPARATUS Onginal Filed June 18, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. l-IAR RY C,v GUSTA FSON ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,263,280 SWAB MAKING APPARATUS Harry C. Gustafson, 5508 N. 38th St., Milwaukee, Wis. Continuation of application Ser. No. 203,189, June 18, 1962. This application July 6, 1965, Ser. No. 477,336 17 Claims. (Cl. 19-1453) This application is a continuation of my copending application Serial No. 203,189, filed June 18, 1962, now abandoned.

My invention relates to a device for manufacturing applicators and more particularly to a method and appara tus for making applicator swabs.

In prior art machines for constructing swabs, or applicators, it has been customary to roll the fibrous meterial onto the shaft, or stick by means of a plurality of oppositely disposed rollers urged toward one another, which method leaves the fibrous material with a more or less fuzzy surface. This method of application has been used with absorbent material with relatively short fibers, such as cotton.

The prime purpose of my invention is to provide a method and apparatus which enable production of swabs constructed of long fibrous material formed and retained at a predetermined contour.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which uses a continuous forming channel in which the swabs are revolved in a continuous manner and moistened during the forming and contouring of the fibrous material.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine which tears at substantially continuous strand of fibrous material into predetermined wads or swab forming lengths prior to their application to sticks coated with an adherent agent, and which uses the tearing instrumentalities for feeding the lengths to the stick.

With the device described, illustrated, and claimed herein it is possible to use long fiber inorganic, absorbent materials, such as a material commercially sold under the trade name of nylon, as well as short fiber organic, absorbent materials, such as cotton. The machine of the instant invention involves certain novel principles of spinning the applicator sticks as they are brought into contact with fibers and then forming, smoothing and contouring the fibers after they are wound on-the sticks, all as hereafter described in detail.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent in the course of the ensuing specification and claims when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a composite view of the entire assembly illustrating the sequence of its operations, certain detailed parts being omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the feed hopper for the swab shafts or sticks and the method employed in their alignment for processing;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the shaft or stick feeding chain illustrating the V grooves disposed therein and showing the position of the stick in phantom;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a fiber contouring channel in its relation to a conveyor angle;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary View of the unloading end of the feed chain in its relation to the conveyor and showing the method employed to pass the stick from the feed chain to the conveyor chain;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a V belt forming the rotating means for the sticks;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary side view of the idler pulley arrangement employed for releasing the sticks from the conveyor chain;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the conveyor chain with the conveyor angles attached thereto, in relation to the V belt for revolving the sticks;

FIGURE 9 is a composite perspective view of an adherent applicator for the revolving stick and its relation to the fiber contouring channel;

FIGURE 10 is a cross section view of the stick with the absorbent fibrous material applied thereto and being contoured and smoothed by its revolving action between the forming channel and a moisture absorbent band;

FIGURE 11 is a composite fragmentary perspective view of the method employed for tearing the fibrous absorbent material prior to its application to the stick and after the stick is coated with the adherent agent;

FIGURE 12 is a side view of the unit constituting the assembly shown in FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 shows one end of a completed swab as it is released from the forming channel;

FIGURE 14 is a similar view to that shown in FIGURE 13, but with the absorbent material formed into a spherical contour;

FIGURE 15 is still another view of the swab with the absorbent material on both ends prior to cutting the stick to provide two complete units;

FIGURE 16 is a composite side view of the assembly for feeding, tearing, and forming the fibrous material on the sticks;

FIGURE 17 is a perspective fragmentary view of the adjustable means for feeding the fibrous material so that the finished swab is of larger diameter at its outer end;

FIGURE 18 is a top view of the adjustable means for feeding the fibrous material; and

FIGURE 19 is a schematic view showing the feeding of the fibrous material to the end of the stick which is coated with the adherent agent.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring specifically now to the same, the character 20 as shown in FIGURE 1 in cross section represents a feed hopper into which the shafts or sticks 21 are disposed. The hopper 20 is open at the bottom to permit the sticks 21 to be deposited onto a pair of wheels 22, which are provided with open notches 23. The wheels 22 are contacted by a revolving brush 24, shown driven by a chain 25, from a motor 26 attached at the top of the front plate of the hopper 20 for keeping the sticks 21 in alignment in the notches.

The shaft 27 supporting the wheels 22 has a pair of sprockets 28 which support chains 29 engaging a pair of drive sprockets 30 mounted on a shaft 1 which in turn is driven by the chain 32. The chains 29 are equipped with V grooves or notches 33 for supporting the sticks 21 therein (see FIGURE 3). A pair of angularly disposed arms 34 (see FIGURE 5) are mounted at 35 on a frame structure (not shown). The frame structure for the various elements described herein may take many forms and since such structure, in and of itself, forms no part of the invention, it is not illustrated.

The purpose of the arms 34 is to transfer the sticks 21 carried by the chains 29 moving in the direction shown by the arrows to the conveyor chain 36, which is shown contacting the outer peripheral surface of an idler drum 37, which is supported by a centrally disposed shaft 38 journalled in the frame structure.

Obviously the drum 37 may be replaced by pulleys or the like covered on their periphery by a flat sheet or by sprockets to accommodate the chain, or the drum 37 may be a stationary structure, in which case the chain 36 may be equipped with rollers for contact with the stationary surface.

The conveyor chain 36 is driven by the sprocket 39 mounted on a shaft 40, which shaft is revolved by a belt 41. Belt 41 is passed over pulley 44 on shaft 40 and a pulley 42 on a speed reducer unit 43. The speed reducer 43 is shown actuated by a motor 45 furnish-ing the driving power for the assembled unit. Obviously any source or actuating power may be employed. The conveyor chain 36 also passes over and is supported by the idler sprocket shown as 46 rotatably mounted on a shaft 47. The conveyor chain 36 is also equipped with transversely extending angle members 48 attached at 49 (see FIGURE 8) to the chain 36 in any practical and eflicient manner, and the angles 48 are equipped with clips or fingers 50 for receiving the sticks 21 when released from contact with the V belts 51 (see FIGURE 7).

The V belts shown as 51 are disposed over a pair of pulleys. One pulley 52 is an idler pulley mounted on a shaft 53, while the other pulley 54 is a drive pulley mounted on a shaft 55, which also supports a sprocket 56, which is revolved by means of a chain 57 engaging a sprocket 58 on the shaft 38 supporting the idler drum 37.

The shaft 38 may be revolved by means of a chain 67 leading from the sprocket 68 on the shaft 40 over a sprocket 69 mounted on the shaft 38.

The lower portion of the belts 51 contact the sticks 21 resting in the angles 48 and revolve them in the opposite direction from the direction of the 'drum 37, thus revolving the sticks 21 in counterclockwise direction, as seen in the drawings, as compared to the movement of the drum 37 and conveying chain 36, which are shown moving in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrows.

The upper portions of the belts 51 move over pulley 59 suspended rotatably in a yoke 60, which yoke is equipped With a stem 61 passing through a compression spring 62 (see FIGURE 1) and supported by an angular bracket 63. The stem 61 may be threaded at its upper end and is shown equipped with a nut 64 which rests on a washer 65. The object of the resiliently supported pulley 59 is to supply tension to the belts 51, thereby supplying an efficient coefficient of friction between the lower belt portion and the sticks 21, thereby revolving them.

When the revolving sticks 21 are released by the belts 51 as completed swabs (see FIGURE 1), they are carried by the chain 36 over :the idler sprockets 46 and then drop into the angular retaining clips 50 from where they are dropped into a plurality of arcuately formed bands 66, from where the completed swabs may be removed manually and be placed into containers (not shown) or the like.

By referring to FIGURE 9, the manner in which the ends of the sticks 21 are coated with an adhesive will be seen at 69. Adhesive 69 is disposed within a container 70 and brought upward on a transfer roller 71. This roller may be rotated by a belt 72 leading from the pulleys mounted on the shafts 53 and 73 (see FIGURE 1). Inasmuch as the belts 51 contact the sticks 21 to revolve them in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG- URE 9, the ends of the sticks 21 will accumulate adhesive.

After the sticks pass the adhesive transfer roller 71 and continue their path of movement upwardly, as is seen in FIGURE 1, they pass to a fiber feeding station, which is adapted to feed swab lengths of fibers to the adhesively coated ends of the sticks so as to allow winding of the fibers on the sticks while the sticks continue their movement along their path. The fiber feeding means are illustrated particularly in FIGURES 11, 12 and 16 through 19, inclusive. It should be understood that certain details of the fiber feeding instrumentality have been omitted from FIGURE 1 for purposes of clarity and understanding the overall organization of the machine.

By particular reference to these FIGURES 11, 12 and 16 through 19, inclusive, it will be seen that an elongated, substantially continuous strand of fibers 74 is fed in the general direction of the chain 36. A surface 75 is arcuately formed about the drum and may rotate therewith. It should be understood that the cross sectional configuration of the surface 75 includes a curvilinear and radially outwardly turned flange 75a at a point laterally to one side of the chain 36, as is seen in FIGURE 10. Surface 75 cooperates with a moisture absorbent and pliable band 76 in a manner which will be pointed out more fully hereinafter. A source of liquid as, for example, the tap 77, is used to apply moisture to band 76.

In order to feed the fibers to the ends of the sticks being conveyed upwardly by chain 36, a feeding and tearing roller 78 is employed. This roller 78 is fixed to a 'shaft 79 which is adapted to be driven from the chain drive 32 which is interconnected with the power unit drive 45. Chain 32 may be passed around a sprocket 80 which is fixed to shaft 79 and may be passed around idler pulleys 81 and 81 as is seen in FIGURE 1 so as to effect the drive for the roller 78. Roller 78 has a plurality of lugs 82 spaced circumferentially thereof and adapted to move into close proximity to the surface 75 as well as the path of movement of the sticks carried by chain 36. A second strand feeding means is employed to feed the elongated and substantially continuous strand of fibers 74 to the roller 78. This feeding means includes a channel-like guide 83 along which the strand passes. The strand then passes into contact with a driving roller 84 which is fixed to a shaft 91 supported by the framework of the machine (not shown), and driven from shaft 79 through the chain drive 85. An idler roller 87 is spring biased into engagement with the other side of the strands as in FIGURES l1 and 12 so that the strand is frictionally engaged by the 'two rollers 84 and 87 and caused to pass therebetween. Idler roller 87 may be rotatably supported, as by means of shaft 88, on an arm 89 which is biased upwardly toward the roller 78 by a spring 98 which extends between the arm 89 and supporting flange 91. A compression spring 90 may bias roller 87 upwardly as will appear in FIGURE 12.

A supporting tray 93 is pivoted on the upper end of arm 89 and extends between the are described by lugs 82 and the path of movement of the sticks, as will be apparent in FIGURES 12 and 16. Tray 93 thus guides the fibers along a path intersecting the path of movement of the sticks 21.

The exit end of the tray 93 has a forming die thereon defined by relatively movable fingers 94 and 95 (FIGURE 18) so as to define a V-shaped opening therebetween. Finger 95 may be stationary while finger 94 is pivotally mounted as by means of the pivot 98 passing through a bracket 96. Bracket 96 is fixed to tray 93 by means of any suitable means 97. The V-shaped opening 99 (FIG- URE 18) between the fingers 94 and 95 causes a distribution of the fibers in somewhat the same shape which enhances the formation of the swab of the forms illustrated in FIGURES 13, 14 and 15. Any suitable means may be employed to adjust the divergency of the fingers 94 and 95 for making diiferent shapes of swabs on the sticks.

The feeding roller 78 is driven at a conveying speed faster than the conveying speed of rollers 84 and 87 so that when the fibers reach the lugs 82 they are stretched and torn into predetermined lengths which are sufficient to form the mass of fibers that is eventually wound about each of the stick ends. At the same time, the lugs 82 grip the fibers and force them downwardly toward the plate 93 and as the forward and torn ends of fibers approach the opening 99 between the fingers 94 and 95 it is pressed more closely to the tray 93 to the point wherein the lugs 82 force the fibers through the opening 99 as is seen in FIGURES 11, 12 and 16. At this point the onwardly moving stick to be wound passes quite closely to the opening 99 and engages the forward end portions of the fibers. The fiber end portions will adhere to the stick and due to rotation thereof, the stick will wind this predetermined length of fibers therearound as appears in FIGURES 17 and 18. It should be noted that while the tray 93 is hinged-ly mounted on arm 89, contact;

with the ends of the sticks 21 and the fibers between the finger 95 and surface 75 as is seen in FIGURE 12 prevents contact between the fingers and the plate 75. The tray may be held in the position illustrated by the framework (not shown) of the machine.

As each stick receives the predetermined length of fibers and winds the same fully, the swab then passes to a portion of its path wherein it is embraced by the pliable surface '76 and the surface 75 so as to contour and smooth the fibers. The pliable band 76 may be supported by any suitable means (not shown).

It should be understood that the path described by tray 93 and the arcuate path described by the outer surface of the lug converge toward the outer part of the finger 95, which arrangement is effective in preventing fibers from passing over finger 95 without passing through opening 99.

The use and operation of the invention are as follows:

The applicator sticks, which may be in the form of wooden sticks or wound paper sticks, or in some other form well known to the art, are fed from hopper 20 to the conveyor 29 whereby the sticks are fed in spaced, generally parallel relation to the conveyor chain 36. The speed of movement of the conveyor 29 and the feeding conveyor 36 are so synchronized that one such stick is deposited in each stick receiving channel 48 of the chain 36. The individual sticks are thus continuously fed from hopper 20 to the conveyor 36, from whence they are conveyed upwardly along a predetermined path toward the swab forming instrumentalities. As these sticks pass upwardly, as appears in FIGURE 1, they first pass the adhesive applying station where adhesive is applied to the ends of the sticks 21 through use of the adhesive transfer roller 71, as appears in FIGURE 9, it being noted that the sticks 21 project outwardly beyond the side of the stick holding elements 43 of the chain 36.

Just prior to the time that the sticks pass the adhesive applying station, they come into contact with belt 51 which imparts counterclockwise rotation to the sticks (as viewed in the drawings). It should be noted in this connection that the movement of the sticks in the direction illustrated causes a natural rotation of the sticks in a counterclockwise direction through mere contact with belt 51. By having belt 51 moving in the opposite direction to the path of travel to the sticks, the sticks are revolved rapidly, while still using relatively low speeds for the belt 51. It should be understood in this connection that the speed of the belt 51 may be varied, as long as the frictional engagement between the belt and sticks and the speed of relative movement is great enough so as to impart suificient rotational speed to the sticks as to enable efiicient winding of the fibers thereon.

As the sticks continue in their upward movement, they pass into a fiber winding station, as is particularly illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12, 16, 17 and 19. At this station, an elongated mass of fibers is fed along a path intersecting with the path of movement of the ends of the sticks 21. As the elongated strands of fibers are fed along channel 93, the feeding and tearing roller 78 engages the fibers and since the speed of movement of the tearing roller 78 is greater than the speed of feeding rollers 84 and 87, the fibers will be torn into predetermined lengths. In this connection it should be noted that the lugs 82 on the feeding roller 78 are so spaced that they engage the forward end of the elongated fiber mass, as appears in FIGURE 16, and then force this torn end against the plate 93. As the rotation of this feeding roller 78 continues, the lugs 82 move nearer and nearer to the plate 93 so as to compress the fibers held thereby against the plate 93. As the lug and fibers continue their movement, the lug 82, in passing the shaping dies 94 and 95, presses the fibers through the opening in the dies 94 and 95. The dies 94 and 95 may be tilted upwardly slightly with respect to the general plane of plate 93 so as to enhance the entry of the forward portion of the fibers into the opening. It can be appreciated that the spacing of the forming members 94 and from the lug 82 in the drawings is exaggerated slightly so as to enable a more distinct understanding of the several parts.

Just after the exposed ends of the elongated fibers pass through the opening in the forming members 94 and 95, they come into contact with the adhesive coated end of the sticks 21. The end portions of the fibers adhere to the end portion of the sticks and as the sticks are revolved counterclockwise they will wind the fibers therearound as appears in FIGURE 19, the sticks being moved by the conveyor chain at the same time. When the predetermined length of fibers has been completely wound about the end of the stick, an endwise view of the sticks will appear essentially round as is seen .at 74 in FIG- URE 19.

As the sticks continue in their path of upward movement, and after the swab on the end of the sticks has assumed the essentially circular cross sectional shape, as seen in FIGURE 19, it comes into contact with the pliable band 76. This pliable band 76, performs a smoothing operation on the wound fibers. Band 76 may be of any length sufiicient to smooth out the fibers on the sticks. It should be noted that as the wound fibers are engaged by the forming band 76 the lower and outer portions of the swab are forced against the forming channel 75 as appears in FIGURE 10. Forming channel 75 is so shaped as to perform an additional smoothing action on the swab and to provide a smoothly rounded contour thereto.

The forming dies 94 and 95 enable a rough forming of the fibers into any predetermined contour as is illustrated by the several swabs shown in FIGURES 13, 14 and 15. These forming dies may be set at various angles with respect to one another so as to allow the formation of a long slender swab or an essentially round swab as illustrated in FIGURES 13, 14 and 15. When making any predetermined contour or thickness of swab, the forming band 76 and the contour of the forming plate 75 may, of course, be adjusted to fit the contour of the swab desired.

It should also be understood that by virtue of the fact that the adhesive coating station and the fiber feeding and winding stations are laterally to one side of chain 36, both ends of the stick may be similarly provided with cotton fibers as in FIGURE 15. In this case, an adhesive applying station and feeding and winding stations (similar to those described herein) are provided on each side of the conveyor chain 36 so as to properly apply and wind fibers to each end of the sticks laterally outside of the chain 36.

After the complicated swabs pass the forming strips 76 and forming channel 75, they are conveyed to the end of the machine where they are dropped from the chain to any convenient collecting hopper as is illustrated at 66 in FIGURE 1.

Whereas I have shown and described an operative form of the invention, it should be understood that this showing and description thereof should be taken in an illustrative or diagrammatic sense only. There are many modifications in and to the invention which will fall within the scope and spirit thereof and which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the hereinafter appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A swab forming apparatus including means for continuously feeding applicator sticks along a predetermined path and means for feeding a torn predetermined length of fibers along a second path intersecting with said first named path, a forming die positioned in said second named path and having an opening of predetermined configuration, means for forcing said fibers through and beyond said opening, said opening being located closely adjacent to the point of intersection of said paths but spaced from said point of intersection so that said fibers enter said die before reaching said point of intersection, whereby said sticks engage said fibers after passage through said opening and near said point of intersection, and means for rotating said sticks at and near said point of intersection so as to cause winding of said fibers around said sticks.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said fiber feeding means includes first feeding means adapted to engage and continuously feed an elongated substantially continuous mass of fibers toward said opening and second feeding means adapted to engage said fibers, said second feeding means being movable at a speed greater than the speed of said first feeding means so as to tear said substantially continuous strand into predetermined swab lengths of strands prior to the time that the fibers pass through said opening.

3. The structure of claim 1 characterized by and including means for applying adhesive to said stick-s prior to engagement with said fibers so as to cause said fibers to adhere thereto.

4. A swab forming apparatus including conveyor means for feeding sticks along a predetermined path in spaced, generally parallel relation while being positioned transversely of said path, means for feeding elongated fibers along a path intersecting with said first named path so as to cause engagement between said fibers and said sticks, said conveyor means including an endless member and a plurality of stick holding angle brackets fixed to said member, each bracket having a retaining flange extending transversely to the direction of movement of said member whereby sticks may rest against said flange and be supported thereby throughout substantial portions of their lengths, and means for causing rotation of said sticks as they move through said path including an elongated member disposed generally parallel to said path and overlying said brackets, said flanges having openings therein so as to receive said elongated member therein as said sticks move along said first named path while allowing a frictional engagement between said sticks and along said member whereby said elongated member presses said sticks against said brackets, and means for moving said elongated member in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said sticks along said path so as to cause rotation of said sticks.

5. The structure of claim 4 wherein said elongated member is in the form of an endless belt and means are provided for constraining said belt, during movement thereof, to movement parallel to said first named path while overlying the same.

6. The structure of claim 4 characterized by and including adhesive applying means positioned alongside said first named path and positioned to engage said sticks as they are rotated by said member.

7. A swab forming machine including an endless conveyor belt having means for holding sticks thereon in spaced, generally parallel relation, with the .sticks extending generally transversely to the path of movement of said belt, said conveyor belt having a generally inverted V- shaped conveying run, means for feeding sticks to said conveyor belt in said relation, an adhesive applying station positioned along said path and adapted to apply adhesive to said sticks as they move through said path, a belt overlying a portion of said conveyor and positioned to frictionally engage said sticks as they are conveyed along said path by said conveyor, means for moving said overlying belt in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of said conveyor so as to rotate said sticks, said overlying belt having a generally inverted V-shaped run conforming to the shape of said conveying run of said conveyor belt, means for feeding fibers along a second path intersecting with said first named path so as to cause engagement between said fibers and each of said sticks as said sticks move along said path and thereby allowing winding of said fibers on said sticks due to rotation of said sticks,

and forming surfaces positioned along said first named path for engagement with said fibers after said fibers have been wound upon said sticks, said forming surfaces being shaped and positioned so as to smooth the fibers wound upon said sticks and impart a predetermined contour thereto.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said fiber feeding means includes a rotatable member having lugs thereon for engaging said fibers and moving them toward said point of intersection, and additional means for feeding an elongated strand of fibers to said member at a speed slower than the conveying speed of said member so that said member tears said strand into swab lengths.

9. A swab forming apparatus including means for feeding applicator sticks along a predetermined path in spaced relation and means for winding fibers around said sticks, a first elongated contouring surface positioned to simultaneously engage the underside of the fibers on a plurality of said sticks and a second elongated, pliable and absorbent surface overlying said first named surfaceand positioned to contact the upper side of said fibers on said plurality of sticks simultaneously with said contouring surface, means for moistening said second named surface, and means for rotating said sticks and fibers while in engagement with said surfaces so as to smooth said fibers by the conjoint action of said surfaces.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein said first named surface has a predetermined arcuate cross section engaging the end surface and under portion of the fiber mass on said sticks.

11. The structure of claim 9 wherein said path has an arcuate contour, and said first and second surfaces are elongated and positioned generally parallel to said path.

12. A fiber feeding and separating means for feeding a predetermined length of fibers into engagement with rotating sticks so as to cause winding of the fibers 011 said sticks including a first feeding means for feeding an elongated, substantially continuous strand of fibers to a supporting surface for movement therealong, a second feed ing means positioned for engagement with said strand and for pressing the same against said surface and for moving it along said surface in the same direction as said first feeding means, said first and second feeding means being operated continuously but with the second feeding means operating at a speed greater than the speed of said first feeding means so that said second feeding means tears predetermined lengths of fibers from said continuous strand as said fibers are in movement between said first and second feeding means, means for presenting rotating sticks at one end of said surface, said second feeding means being effective to move said torn lengths of fibers into engagement with said rotating sticks.

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein said first feeding means includes feed rollers, and said second feeding means includes a rotating wheel having spaced lugs for engagement with said fibers, the speed of movement of said lugs being greater than the speed of movement of said rollers.

14. A machine for winding fibers onto applicator sticks including conveying means for supporting and carrying applicator sticks along a predetermined path with the sticks extending transversely to said path, means for feeding applicator sticks to said conveyor means, fiber feeding means including means for feeding an elongated continuous strand of fibers, said fiber feeding means including an elongated tray with a fiber forming die positioned near the path of said conveying means, said fiber feeding means including means for tearing a predetermined length of fibers from said elongated strand and for moving said length of fibers along said tray and for forcing said fibers from said tray, through said die and into the path of movement of said sticks, means for rotating said sticks as they pass along said path of movement, and means causing engagement of the ends of said rotating sticks with one end portion of said length of fibers, as said sticks pass along that portion of the path adjacent to said tray.

15. The structure of claim 14 wherein said forming die is adjustable and has a V-shaped opening therein so as to shape the fiber mass.

16. The structure of claim 14 wherein said stick feeding means includes a chain for supporting a plurality of sticks in spaced, generally parallel relation and for delivering said sticks, While in said relation to said conveyor means.

17. The structure of claim 14 wherein contouring surfaces are positioned along said path for a smoothing engagement with said fibers after they have been wound upon said sticks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

D. NEWTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SWAB FORMING APPARATUS INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING APPLICATOR STICKS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH AND MEANS FOR FEEDING A TORN PREDETERMINED LENGTH OF FIBERS ALONG A SECOND PATH INTERSECTING WITH SAID FIRST NAMED PATH, A FORMING DIE POSITIONED IN SAID SECOND NAMED PATH AND HAVING AN OPENING OF PREDETERMINED CONFIGURATION, MEANS FOR FORCING SAID FIBERS THROUGH AND BEYOND SAID OPENING, SAID OPENING BEING LOCATED CLOSELY ADJACENT TO THE POINT OF INTERSECTION OF SAID PATHS BUT SPACED FROM SAID POINT OF INTERSECTION SO THAT SAID FIBERS ENTER SAID DIE BEFORE REACHING SAID POINTS OF INTERSECTION, WHEREBY SAID STICKS ENGAGE SAID FIBERS AFTER PASSAGE THROUGH SAID OPENING AND NEAR SAID POINT OF INTERSECTION, AND MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID STICKS AT AND NEAR SAID POINT OF INTERSECTION SO AS TO CAUSE WINDING OF SAID FIBERS AROUND SAID STICKS. 